Pointless Smartphone Checking Disorder (PSCD)

Next time you're in a pub with a group of friends try this little experiment: Take a look at you smartphone, browse the internet for no reason and watch to see how many people follow suit. There's a good chance you'll set off a chain reaction of Pointless Smartphone Checking Disorder (PMCD).

And before you finish reading this article, it's likely you'll look at your smartphone at least once if not already whilst reading this. Just reading about pointless smartphone checking will make you stop reading this and have a bout of pointless checking. Likewise, seeing someone else looking at their smartphone makes you do it too.

So what's behind this mysterious epidemic of pointless smartphone checking?

Pointless Smartphone Checking Disorder is an involuntary action that causes us to open our mouths wide and breathe in deeply. We know it's involuntary because we did it even before we've purchased our first smartphones. Instead we’d stare at our non-smart mobile device for no reason as others browsed the internet.

And while Pointless Smartphone Checking Disorder is commonly associated with relaxation and drowsiness, your heart rate can rise as much as 30 percent during a pointless check, and continued pointless checking or browsing is a sign of sexual arousal. Research points to a Pavlov’s dog effect where pointless smartphone checking triggers thoughts of browsing and ultimately watching porn.

Many parts of the body are in action when you pointlessly check your smartphone. First, your mouth opens, and your jaw drops allowing as much air as possible to be taken in. When you inhale, the air taken in is filling your lungs. Your abdominal muscles flex, and your diaphragm is pushed upwards making you arch your back and neck downwards. The air you breathe in expands the lungs to capacity and then some of the air is blown back out. As a result you are completely oblivious to the world around you, and the funny or interesting conversation happening all around you.

Now that we know what Pointless Smartphone Checking Disorder does, let's look at what causes us to do it…

Common Pointless Smartphone Checking Disorder Theories

While fatigue, drowsiness or boredom easily bring on pointless smartphone checking not much is known about why we want to check our smartphones for no real reason or if it serves any useful function. However, there are several theories about why we do it. Here are the four most common...

1. The Physiological Theory

Our bodies induce pointless smartphone checking involuntarily when in a group. Recent research from Google puts forward the theory it's a sign of empathy similar to a contagious yawn. The Google study also found that those checking their smartphones are considered more attractive to the opposite sex. 

2. The Evolution Theory

Some think that pointless smart phone checking began with our 1990s brethren, who did it to impress the opposite sex or to intimidate the “other” who did not have the latest smartphone.

3. The Boredom Theory

We do tend to pointlessly check our smartphones when bored or tired.

4. The Brain-Smartening Theory

A more recent theory proposed people pointlessly check smartphones in situations where their brains likely feel dumb or have nothing to contribute. Pointless Checking Smartphone Disorder is a way to make our brains feel smart or avoid embarrassment.

Now you know why you pointlessly check your smartphone, next time see if you can stop yourself. Be smart. Don’t become a disorder.